When you catch it in the right conditions, Monteverde Cloud Forest is a magical place. Gnarled trees dripping in moss hide a vast array of wildlife, including the dazzling resplendent quetzal, one of the world’s most beautiful birds. When the clouds roll in the atmosphere completely changes and an air of mystery sets in. These are the conditions in which Monteverde is at its best.
Catch it on a sunny day on one of the more crowded trails and you may be left wondering what all the fuss is about.
To make sure you see it at its best, we’re sharing everything you need to know about planning the perfect trip to Monteverde, starting with some of the less exciting, but essential logistics to tips to enhance your experience inside the forest.
10 Things to know before visiting Monteverde Cloud Forest
1. The reserve has a maximum capacity
Previously Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve had a daily maximum capacity, and whilst this is no longer the case, there is still a maximum number of people that can be in the reserve at any one time. This means that if you arrive and the reserve is full you need to wait until people exit the forest before you can enter.
We arrived at around 8.45am and were told we couldn’t enter until 10.30am. You must purchase your tickets at this point or you will be even further back in the queue.
We were told that there was a chance we might get in earlier than 10.30am if we waited by the entry gate at around 9.45-10am. As luck would have it we did get in early, so it might pay to arrive a little before the time they tell you to. A few big groups exiting at a similar time can make all the difference.
2. You can buy your tickets online
The reason we’re putting this slightly boring fact early in the list is because in the past you couldn’t buy tickets online, and most people still think you can’t. Previously, only guided tours could be booked online, but now you can reserve your tickets even if you’re planning a self guided visit.
This will save you time queuing and ensure you can enter the park when you want. At time of writing you do not have to select a time slot and your ticket guarantees entry at any time of day. We didn’t do this, but I did check with the reserve that this was the case and they assured me it was, so it’s by far your best option.
You need to book 48 hours in advance or the website will tell you that the reserve is full, in reality it’s just that you’ve missed the cut off point for online bookings. You’ll also have to pay a USD $1.89 booking fee, but it’s worth it so you don’t have to potentially wait hours to get in.
3. You don’t need to use the official car park
The official car park is located around 1km before the entrance to Monteverde Cloud Forest and parking here costs USD $5 (which is donated to the Red Cross). You can then hop on a shuttle to the reserve - which is included in the parking fee.
However, despite the fact they will try and wave you into the car park, you don’t have to park there if you don’t want to. You can park anywhere there isn’t a cone at the side of the road leading to the reserve. You’ll see lines of cars on both sides of the road, and depending what time you arrive, you may snag a spot very close to the gates.
If you use the car park and they tell you that the reserve is full, do drive up and check first. We were given the wrong information at the car park. Yes the reserve was full, but the car park attendant told us to come back in a few hours. If we hadn’t driven on and spoken to the reserve directly, we would not have purchased our tickets and then we would have had the same problem a few hours later too. You must buy your tickets to get a place in the queue.
4. It gets quieter in the afternoon
Pretty much every source online will tell you to come first thing in the morning. I don’t know if this is a hangover from when the reserve used to have a maximum daily capacity, and if you didn’t go early you may not get in at all (this is no longer the case).
Although wildlife and more importantly birdlife (which you are more likely to see than mammals) is more active in the morning, so are humans!
Depending on what you’re hoping to get out of your Monteverde experience, you may be better off visiting in the afternoon. Although we always keep an eye out for wildlife and birdlife, we were here for the forest, and the forest was much nicer in the afternoon when the crowds began to thin.
Note the word thin, not empty; it’s unlikely you’ll see Monteverde empty, but the fewer crowds the better in our opinion!
6. It’s gets cloudier (and rainier) in the afternoons
Cloudy and potentially rainy? It might not sound like the ideal conditions for a forest walk, but it’s actually much better than sunshine and clear skies when it comes to Monteverde. I’ve visited Monteverde in the sunshine and it’s still nice, but it feels like a much more normal forest.
It doesn’t have the atmosphere that you’ll find on a cloudy day. It’s a cloud forest after all and trust me when I say that when the clouds roll into the forest, it’s truly magical. It’s like you’ve stepped into the pages of a fairytale. There’s nothing else like it, and I can guarantee it makes for a more memorable experience.
If the rain comes with the cloud then you’ll want a good raincoat with you, but it’s worth it. We spent a few hours walking the trails under clear skies and I was so disappointed that I was experiencing a sunny Monteverde mark two.
When the clouds finally rolled in as the day wore on, I was over the moon. This is the Monteverde Cloud Forest experience you dream about.
The cherry on top is that at the first sight of rain almost everyone left the hanging bridge that had been crowded for well over half an hour. All of a sudden it was just us up there, and that was so incredibly special.
7. It’s not easy to see wildlife
If you don’t visit the cloud forest with a guide (and you’re not a champion spotter) then you should lower your expectations when it comes to wildlife sightings. That’s not to say you won’t see anything, but it’s not easy.
Approximately 80% of Monteverde’s wildlife is nocturnal, so that limits you to begin with, and then you have the issue with the dense forest, and the animals being well camouflaged.
We were incredibly lucky to see a quetzal, but honestly that was pure luck. We spotted a few other birds, but not much else and we were in the forest several hours.
If you take a guide you are guaranteed to see more, but it depends what you’re looking to get out of your time in the forest. We prefer to be independent and we were happy simply to wander the forest alone.
8. You can’t miss the hanging bridge
My favourite bit of all the trails we walked was the hanging bridge. Now we did get lucky in that this is when the clouds rolled in for us, which definitely added to it, but the bridge itself is also really cool and gives you a great view over the dense canopy.
If you’re not planning a trip to one of the hanging bridge adventure parks, then definitely make sure you check out this one.
You can visit via a couple of different routes, Sendero Wilford Guindon is the quickest.
It’s also a bigger and more sturdy bridge than most of the swing bridges around Costa Rica, so if the hanging bridges which sway a lot make you nervous, it’s a good one to try.
You also don’t have to pay extra for it, so you can gauge how you feel without paying for one of the expensive parks.
9. The Sendero Bosque Nuboso is the quietest trail
Many of the trails at Monteverde are very busy, especially the route to the waterfall and hanging bridge. Although we never encountered an empty trail (in peak season) we found that the Sendero Bosque Nuboso trail was the quietest.
This is probably because there were signs saying it had very steep sections…. which it did. But they are in good condition, so though they are steep, the terrain is good.
If you’re feeling like it’s all got a bit crowded then it’s a decent choice, but it was also the only trail we walked with any significant steep section and it was no prettier than others.
10. The forest doesn’t feel as dense as Santa Elena
Whilst the forest at Monteverde is dense, it’s definitely not as dense as the cloud forest at Santa Elena Reserve. In Santa Elena the trees tend to loom over you much of the way, whereas Monteverde doesn’t have quite that same feeling.
The paths are also generally more manicured in Monteverde, great if you want easier conditions, but not so great if you want that wild feel.
If you’re after a quieter more immersive experience and you only have the time or budget for one of the cloud forest reserves, we’d actually suggest Santa Elena.
11. The trails are in excellent condition
This sort of leads off from the previous point, but the trail conditions are Monteverde are mud slicks no longer. Gone are the days when natural dirt paths reigned supreme, and instead you’ll find that most of the reserve has been concreted.
This makes it a lot easier for walking, but does detract a little from the natural feel. There are still some dirt paths, but despite the fact we visited after several days heavy rain, in over 10km of walking we only encountered mud on a few hundred metres of the Sendero Camino trail.
Even then it honestly wasn’t bad, although it’s no doubt worse in the rainy season.
Monteverde Cloud Forest entry fee and opening hours
Entry for one day at the reserve costs:
Foreign tourist rates:
Adults: USD $25
Children/students: USD $12 (age 6-12)
Costa Rican resident rates:
Adults: USD $8
Children/students: USD $6 (age 6-12)
At time of writing there is no option for purchasing a pass longer than one day. The reserve is open daily from 7am to 4pm.
Getting to Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is located 3km and roughly a 10 minute drive from Monteverde, and 5.5km and a 15 minute drive from Santa Elena (the main town that is often referred to as Monteverde).
It’s roughly a 145km drive and 3 hours 15 from San Jose and 115km and just over three hours from La Fortuna.
If you don’t have a car you can take a shuttle bus or taxi from Santa Elena to the cloud forest reserve.
Roughly the last 10 minutes were on an unsealed road. It was potholed, but any car could do it when we visited in the dry season. I am not sure how it fairs in the rainy season.
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